


I found solace in the strangest place

by yesgalaxies



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Bobbi POV, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Jemma Simmons Needs a Hug, Multi, Polyamory, Sensory Overload, Skimmorse, Skye pov, Stimming, autistic Jemma Simmons, emotional meltdown
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-25
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-11-18 17:31:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11295369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yesgalaxies/pseuds/yesgalaxies
Summary: An incompetent lab tech and the loss of a stim toy trigger an emotional meltdown. Luckily, Jemma’s got two amazing girlfriends who could never refuse an impromptu nap.





	I found solace in the strangest place

**Author's Note:**

> Well, hello! This has certainly run away from me as it was originally meant to be around 500 words long. This is also the first time I attempt to write anything, fanfiction or otherwise, so I’m afraid this might not very good. I want to apologize if I get emotions/dialogues wrong as it’s something I struggle with. I’ve only just discovered tumblr (I mean where was I all this time, right?) and I’m not too sure how to make friends on there so come say hi if you want @ yesgalaxies.tumblr.com

Bobbi is in the communal kitchen fixing lunch for herself and her girlfriends when she hears Fitz yell Jemma’s name across the base. Bobbi doesn’t have time to process what it might means, when she sees Jemma walk stiffly past the kitchen, hands in tight fists by her sides, her expression pinched.

She drops the cold meat on top of the plastic packaging and wipes her hands hastily on the towel. Bobbi’s expecting Fitz to run after Jemma, but she glances toward the lab at end of the corridor and she sees that he’s talking animatedly to one of the lab techs through the wide glass panels. Bobbi shakes her head, wincing sympathetically. This poor girl is going to be reassigned to another lab, no doubt.

“Jemma, honey!” Bobbi calls, hurrying off after her, but her girlfriend doesn’t turn around or even slow down. She knows Jemma is just trying to get somewhere safe and quiet as fast as she possibly can; she’s a woman on a mission.

The Mockingbird could easily catch up with her in no time, but she decides to follow a few paces behind. A few agents turn to look in their direction as they pass by. Mack automatically reaches for his _Night-Night_ gun and asks if everything is okay.

“Yup, got it under control,” Bobbi replies with fake cheerfulness as she flashes him a thumbs-up. She has nothing under control, she has no idea what’s actually going on, but ‘fake it ‘til you make it’ is her personal motto.

They reach the end of the hall where it splits in two and Jemma stops abruptly as if she’s unable to decide which way to go next. Bobbi watches as Jemma paces in circles a few times and pulls at her hair. Her ponytail comes loose and her breathing picks up, sounding more laboured.  

“Jems?” Bobbi says softly. She rests her hand on her girlfriend’s shoulder, hoping the gesture will be reassuring, but Jemma shrugs it off.

“Don’t touch me!” Jemma then makes a sound that strangely resembles a growl. She presses her hands together in front of her in quick repetitions, twisting her arms. She’s clearly getting more agitated.

“I’m sorry,” Bobbi apologizes taking a step back to make sure she isn’t crowding her.

 _“I need space sometimes,” Jemma had explained after a particularly bad meltdown, “or else it feels like I can’t catch my breath.”_ If her girlfriend isn’t a danger to herself, Bobbi has no reason not to respect her wish.

“Everyone always touch my things!” Jemma shrieks. Her eyes are wild with anxiety – like a doe caught in headlights – and quickly filling with tears, Bobbi notices. “I’ve lost my Tangle, I can’t find it,” Jemma sobs. She sounds so mournful. “I need it.”

“It’s okay, Jems, we’ll find it I promise. Let’s just go to my bunk, okay?” she suggests. Hers is closer, and Jemma looks like she’s about to spiral down into a meltdown of epic proportions. Bobbi is sure her girlfriend doesn’t want an audience for that. “Everything is going to be okay, Jemma. Come on, this way,” she encourages Jemma to follow her, and she does. As they make their way to the bedroom area, Bobbi fishes her phone out of her back pocket and sends a few texts to their girlfriend.

Once in Bobbi’s bunk, Jemma plunks herself on the bed with her feet firmly on the ground. Her fingers dig into the comforter, and the threadbare fabric bunches in her fists. Her body starts rocking of its own volition it seems. Jemma’s eyes flutter shut, but silent tears still roll down her face.

Bobbi feels so out of her dept. She doesn’t know if she should say anything. Bobbi hasn’t been dating Jemma and Skye that long, and she’s never had to deal with a meltdown on her own before. Bobbi leans against the closed door and takes a deep breath. It kills her to see her girlfriend so distressed. She wants to sit next to her and hold her, but Jemma has been clear she didn’t want to be touched earlier.

So instead, Bobbi focuses on little things she knows she can do. She turns on the bedside lamp and turns off the ceiling lights so the room isn’t too bright and she rummages under the bed where she keeps a plastic bin with some of Jemma’s stuff. Bobbi takes out one of the blankets, a couple of stuffed toys made out of different materials and a squeeze ball with tiny, rubber spikes. She lays them out on the bed where Jemma could easily grab one if she needs.

**

Skye is in a meeting with Coulson and May, going over the details of their next OP. Her phone vibrates in her hands once, and she ignores it.

“I could disable their system in a little under two minutes,” she says confidently, “three minutes top.”

“Agent Morse and I will go in using this entrance,” May explains, pointing an area on the blueprints spread on Coulson’s desk with a capped pen.

Skye’s phone buzzes again, twice in quick succession. Distracted, she looks down at it reflexively and sees that she’s received three text messages. They are all from Bobbi.

 _“Jemma. Meltdown. Where’s her tangle?”_  
“Do you know where it is? She rly needs it, babe.”  
“We’re in my room, btw.”

Skye reads the texts, her heart beating slightly faster, and tries to think about the last time she saw Jemma’s Tangle. She had it this morning at breakfast, and then Coulson came along, requesting her girlfriend’s assistance. Jemma had gone with him, forgetting her toy in her hurry. Skye had cleared the dishes and plucked the toy out of Hunter’s hands on her way out and had slipped it… Skye pats her left pocket.

“Shit!” She slides her hand in and rubs the ribbed edge with her fingertip, before taking it out of her pocket. The tangle is twisted into an odd shaped ball.

Coulson coughs. She looks up, having completely forgotten where and with whom she is.

“I…uh, excuse me one moment?” she says, her chair scraping back loudly against the wooden floor as she gets up abruptly. Both look at her with a somewhat annoyed expression. “It’s Jemma…I have to go…Bobbi,” she stammers, trying to explain. Skye waves her phone in front of her. “Jemma’s having a bad day.”

“Go,” May says, surprising everyone in the room with the gentleness of her tone. “Go, go.”

Skye doesn’t need to be told twice. She’s out of Coulson’s office and down two flights of stairs in no time.

“I’m here!” Skye exclaims, slightly out of breath, as she slips into Bobbi’s room. “Skye to the rescue, I’ve got the Tangle!” She takes it out of her back pocket and brandishes it proudly when she finally takes stock of the situation. Her goofy grin is wiped off her face when she sees the extent of Jemma’s distress.

Jemma is sitting on Bobbi’s bunk, her eyes screwed shut, and she rocks herself violently back and forth with her hands pressed against her neck. She doesn’t seem to be aware that Skye is there.

“We might be past the Tangle.”

Bobbi is standing at the foot of the bed, biting her thumb. She’s trying to give Jemma her space, Skye realizes. Her girlfriend looks so worried, and Skye wonders how long the meltdown has been going on for. She notices that Bobbi has dimmed the light in the room and spread a handful of stim toys at Jemma’s reach.

“What happened?” Skye whispers, looking up in Bobbi’s direction.

“I don’t know exactly,” Bobbi answers, shaking her head at the same time. “I think something happened in the lab with one of the new techs. They probably moved her stuff around. I saw Fitz arguing with one of them before I went after her. And then she’d misplaced her Tangle. She was too upset to tell me anything more.”

Skye nods knowingly. They both stay silent for a few seconds, glancing nervously around the bunk, trying their best not to stare openly at Jemma as she continues to self-soothe in the only way can. Her eyes are open now, but unfocused and she’s making little strangled noises in the back of her throat.

“I hate seeing her like this,” Bobbi whispers, sounding defeated.

“I know, but she’ll be okay,” Skye assures her. “How long as it been going on now?”

“Too long.”

Skye snaps her fingers then, and Bobbi startles. She knows Skye is hoping to get Jemma’s attention and it’s better than to just scream her name, gentler, but she doesn’t think it’s a good idea, not yet. Still, Bobbi doesn’t say anything.

At first, Jemma has no reaction, but Skye keeps on snapping her fingers. Miraculously, Jemma looks up, making brief eye contact with her.

“Hi,” Skye signs slowly. She’s not really good at it, her movements are slow and choppy, but she’s learning, they are both learning Bobbi and her. They want to do everything in their power to support their girlfriend and be able to communicate with her if Jemma goes non-verbal. It doesn’t happen often anymore, but they want the option, especially after Jemma confessed she finds signing easier at times.

Skye is not expecting Jemma to reply, and she doesn’t, but she doesn’t look away from her hands either and Skye takes that as a little victory. Jemma is still rocking, trying to calm herself, regain her composure, but the motion is less rigid than it was a few moments ago.

Seeing the change in Jemma’s demeanor, Bobbi rounds the bed and comes to sit down on the carpeted floor next to Skye. She smiles up at Jemma.

“Rough morning?” Bobbi signs, following Skye’s lead.

Jemma nods and then raises her own hands to sign, “I’m sorry.”

“No, no, you don’t have anything to apologize for,” Bobbi signs her reassurances. Her movements aren’t fluid, but she’s picked up signing with more ease than Skye. She’s more confident.

“We just want you to feel better,” Skye adds quickly while they still have their girlfriend’s attention. Jemma looks away, effectively telling them she isn’t ready to have a conversation just yet. She looks embarrassed though, Bobbi wants to get up and hugs her so badly, but she stays where she is.

Skye doesn’t move either. She plays with the Tangle she’s still holding, grips it with one hand and twists it around her fingers with her other. It’s fun. Jemma catches movements out the corner of her eyes and then makes a grabby motion towards her toy. Bobbi nudges Skye’s shoulder.

“Uh? Oh, sorry!” Skye says sheepishly, handing back the Tangle to its rightful owner.

“Maybe we should get you one too,” Bobbi teases her, poking her side.

“It’s actually pretty relaxing,” Skye admits.

“I can share,” Jemma says, looking at the ceiling as she speaks. Her voice is scratchy and uncertain. She snaps her Tangle in two, twists it around and connects the two extremities again with deft.

Skye’s face blooms into a smile. “Yeah? I’d like that! But only just when you don’t need it.”

Bobbi chuckles at Skye’s enthusiasm.

“Can I…Can we…” Jemma stammers, squeezing the Tangle in both her hands. She’s always had difficulty voicing what she needs. She doesn’t want to be a burden on anyone, especially not her girlfriends.

“Snuggles?” Skye finishes for her. Her tone is hopeful, and Bobbi knows how Skye feels. She just wants to be close to her lovers and squish them and shower them with love.

Jemma nods, a timid smile playing on her lips. “Yes, please.”

The three of them on the bed is a tight fit, but they make it work. Jemma scuttles back and fluffs up the pillows a bit. Bobbi joins her first. She lies on her back and Jemma does the same with her head on Bobbi’s shoulder. Bobbi kisses her forehead tenderly. Once they are comfortable and Jemma doesn’t show any signs of unease, Skye climbs over them with an exaggerated huff. She settles on the bed throwing her arm and leg over Jemma’s body, the weight of her limbs helping Jemma relax at last.

“You guys, why do I always have to be the one squished against the wall?”

“Cause you are the smallest!”

“And you’re afraid of the monster under the bed,” Bobbi adds grinning madly.

“Oh my god, Bobs! I was on painkillers, okay? Really strong ones! Tell her, Jemma.” Skye hides her face in her girlfriend’s neck and kisses her just behind her ear.

“You’re a good blanket, Skye,” Jemma says instead, patting Skye’s arm. She blinks heavily. “I think I’m tired.”

“You just rest.”

“Yeah, we’ve got you.”


End file.
